I’m finding that enjoying Google products and services on Lemmy is a hot take. Personally I use a Pixel phone and use nearly all Google services from Gmail to Keep.

  • @sirfancy@lemmy.world
    8•2 years ago

    Just don’t come back crying “how could anyone let this happen?!” and begging for help when the hens come home to roost.

    Can you elaborate on what doomsday scenario you’re referring to? I don’t hear many arguments outside of “Google bad, they’re gonna do a bad thing” without any evidence or description of what the big bad event is gonna be. And before you say “they sell your data,” I know. So does literally everyone else. And I have no intention of living off the technological grid to mitigate that.

    • @glasgitarrewelt@feddit.de
      2•2 years ago

      And I have no intention of living off the technological grid to mitigate that.

      I would argue that you are already living off the technology grid. Before starting my FOSS journey, every software I used was a dull ‘Just click here and let the algorithm do it’s job’. By beeing conscious about the software I am using now, I accidently found a lot of joy in technical things, feeling a lot more ‘on’ the technological grid than before.

      Can you elaborate on what doomsday scenario you’re referring to?

      I am not the commenter above, but my greatest fear with all those data hungry companies is the control and power we give to not elected entities. Knowing all about every person in a state and knowing how to use this data for targeted ads, targeted video recommendations, targeted search results,…, could make a difference in elections and law making. It is basically undermining democracy, and I am a big fan of real democracy.

      • MonkeytennisEnglish
        3•2 years ago

        I agree with your last bit, and I know plenty of people who are clearly manipulated by their news feeds and targeted advertising, but I’m not one of them. I don’t use ad blockers because it’s a valid revenue mechanism - I have friends who pay their bills through advertising. But I’m blind to them, I’ve never clicked on an advert and actively avoid suggestions.

        I’m worried about the societal consequence, but doesn’t that issue need to be addressed by engaging in the politics, not by me using Google less? Data harvesting is unavoidable without huge inconvenience, and life is hard enough.

        I feel the same way about climate change - I can reduce, reuse and recycle all I want, but I see my neighbours driving and flying everywhere and filling their bins every week, I probably sacrifice to make zero difference.

        • no banana
          1•2 years ago

          I agree. The answer to those concerns is to build a stronger society.